Voya Investment Management Becomes a Principles for Responsible Investment Signatory

Thursday, January 25, 2018

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Voya Investment Management, the asset management business of Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), announced today that it has become a Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) signatory. Becoming a PRI signatory supports Investment Management’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) program and demonstrates the firm’s commitment to responsible investing.

“Increasingly, many of our clients are making ESG considerations in their investment choices,” said Christine Hurtsellers, chief executive officer, Voya Investment Management. “To address this demand, we’ve developed our ESG investment program, and becoming a PRI signatory is a significant proof point to our commitment to responsible investing.”

Voya Investment Management is undertaking efforts across its investment platforms and strategies to systematically enhance the consideration of ESG factors in the investment processes, including providing ESG data resources, education and training.

Established in 2006, the PRI is the world’s leading proponent of responsible investing and a pioneer in establishing a voluntary disclosure and reporting framework around that issue. The PRI works to understand the investment implications of ESG factors and to support its international network of investor signatories in incorporating these factors into their investment and ownership decisions. An independent organization, the PRI encourages investors to use responsible investment policies to enhance returns and better manage risks.

“We want to help clients meet their performance objectives and their desired environmental, social and governance outcomes,” said Drew Schechtman, head of ESG Strategy, Voya Investment Management. “To this end, we are working across the firm to develop our ESG Investment program, including: enhancing the consideration of ESG factors in the investment processes; developing ESG intentioned products; implementing Investment Stewardship activities — including engagements and proxy voting considerations; and undertaking ESG leadership efforts.”

As a PRI signatory, Voya Investment Management will continue to act in the best long-term interests of its clients and commit to:

  • Incorporate ESG issues into its investment analysis, ownership practices and decision-making processes;
  • Seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which it invests;
  • Promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the investment industry;
  • Work with the PRI and other signatories to enhance their effectiveness in implementing the Principles;
  • Report on our activities and progress toward implementing the Principles.

“We welcome Voya Investment Management’s commitment to looking at ESG as part of the investment cycle,” said PRI managing director Fiona Reynolds. “Their recognition of how seriously clients are taking responsible investment is another welcome sign in the investment management sector. We are very pleased that they are now part of the PRI family of more than 1,800 investors worldwide.”

About Voya Investment Management

A leading, active asset management firm, Voya Investment Management manages, as of September 30, 2017, more than $222 billion for affiliated and external institutions as well as individual investors. With more than 40 years of history in asset management, Voya Investment Management has the experience and resources to provide clients with investment solutions with an emphasis on equities, fixed income, and multi-asset strategies and solutions. Voya Investment Management was named by Pensions & Investments Magazine as a 2017 Best Place to Work in Money Management. For more information, visit voyainvestments.com. Follow Voya Investment Management on Twitter @VoyaInvestments.

About Voya Financial ®

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), helps Americans plan, invest and protect their savings — to get ready to retire better. Serving the financial needs of approximately 13.6 million individual and institutional customers in the United States, Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $11 billion in revenue in 2016. The company had $541 billion in total assets under management and administration as of September 30, 2017. With a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible — one person, one family, one institution at a time — Voya’s vision is to be America’s Retirement Company®. Certified as a “Great Place to Work” by the Great Place to Work® Institute, Voya is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible. Voya has been recognized as one of the 2017 World’s Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute, one of the 2018 World’s Most Admired Companies by Fortune magazine and one of the Top Green Companies in the U.S., by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter @Voya.

Media:
Voya Financial, Inc.
Kristopher Kagel, 212-309-6568
[email protected]